Troops Arrest 42 Terrorists, Rescue 43 Hostages

The Defence Headquarters (DHQ), on Friday, said troops on internal operations killed scores of terrorists, arrested 42 terrorists and rescued 43 kidnap victims across the theatres.

The Director, Defence Media Operations, Major General Michael Onoja, gave the figures in a statement while giving updates on military operations between February 9-13, 2026.

In a breakdown, he said troops in the North-East arrested eight terrorists and rescued 11 hostages.

Similarly, in the North-West, he said troops arrested four terrorists, rescued two kidnap victims and recovered arms and ammunition.

Relatedly, in the North-Central, troops arrested wanted terrorist identified as Kamaru Chawai and five others and rescued four kidnap victims. In the same, North-Central, troops arrested 11 terrorists and rescued 22 kidnap victims.

According to him, troops also captured a notorious terrorist Batijjo’s Camp in Kogi State and recovered cache of arms and ammunitions and rescued victims .

In the South-South, he said troops arrested five terrorists including wanted notorious IPOB/ESN terrorist identified as Eze Adeire (a.k.a Ikuku) and rescued four kidnap victims.

Furthermore, in the South-East, troops arrested eight terrorists and recovered arms and ammunition.

Major General Onoja reiterated the Armed Forces commitment to denying terrorists and other criminal elements the freedom to operate anywhere within the country.

“The successes recorded in ongoing operations reflect the unwavering determination, resilience, and sacrifice of troops, who continue to work tirelessly in defence of the nation’s peace and security,” he stated.

The Chief of Defence Staff, General Olufemi Oluyede, commending the troops assured Nigerians of Armed Forces’ sustained commitment to intensifying operations, strengthening inter-agency collaboration, and adapting strategies as required to address emerging security challenges.

“The continued support and cooperation of citizens remain vital to the overall success of our operations and the collective effort to secure a peaceful and prosperous Nigeria,” the CDS statsd.